Adulting
by jehbel
Summary: Joey and Seto have been dating for some time now- But things have lately begun to feel... wrong. Can Joey figure out what's bothering Kaiba before it's too late? Will Kaiba ever ask him to move in with him? And what's happening with Mokuba? Puppyshipping! Story follows on from original fic, 'Not Always Smooth Sailing'.
1. Chapter 1

_**Hellooooo friends!**_

 _ **Yep, I've started yet another one. I think I have a problem! Stop me! Or, if you enjoy reading half as much as I enjoy writing, then don't stop me, and instead feel free to comment/review instead!**_

 ** _This story follows on from Not Always Smooth Sailing, and sits after Dark Thoughts on my 'universe' timeline. Same ships, same characters- but, of course NONE OF THEM BELONG TO ME AS YU-GI-OH DOES NOT BELONG TO ME._**

 ** _Right. Obligatory statements over. I hope you enjoy. *sends kisses*_**

 ** _~Jehbel_**

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It was a glorious Saturday morning. The weather was clear and mild, barely a cloud in the sky. It was the start of summer vacation, and everything was perfect.

Unless of course, you were Joey, who was at that moment being awoken to the rude _smack_ of Kaiba's elbow colliding with his cheek.

Cursing and spitting like a cat, Joey reeled to the side in response, his hands coming up defensively, reflexively. "OW ow ow Seto what the _hell?!_ " He shouted, his eyes bewildered and still slurred with the aftermath of sleep, his head swivelling around with confusion.

"Sorry, Joey! Sorry! It's me! It's Mokuba! You wouldn't wake up!" Blearily, the blonde looked across to the source of the sound, to see the younger Kaiba brother standing by his bed, wringing his hands anxiously. Joey brought a hand up to rub at his cheek ruefully, taking in the young teen with a cross expression.

"What gives, Moki? You scared me half to death there! I thought you were moneybags- Uh…I mean, Seto… hittin' me again. He does that if snore, sometimes." At the mention of his boyfriend, Joey looked across the bed, which he was now lying in the middle of, confirming that the brunette was not there. In fact, Kaiba's side of the bed looked hardly touched, and the blonde teen felt with sudden certainty that Seto again hadn't come home that night.

It was not what he'd wanted to wake up to, that was for sure.

Mokuba looked distressed, his large grey eyes full of entreaty. "I'm so sorry Joey, I didn't mean to hit you so hard, I promise! But you made me promise to wake you up at 9am at the latest, and it's now 9:15, and I'm sorry!" He looked close to tears, a ruse that Joey knew was completely fake, but ultimately completely effective.

Huffing with an odd combination of amusement and sleepy displeasure, Joey propped himself up on elbow, rubbing the grit of sleep from his eyes. "No harm done Moki, it's fine, so stop with the puppydog eyes, aight?" Mokuba's expression immediately cleared, a grin splitting across his face. "Where's yer brother? Did he come home at all?"

Mokuba shook his head in affected solemnity; he knew how much Joey hated it when Seto didn't return home, but he himself was so used to it that it barely had an impact anymore. "No. He must have slept at work again. He's really busy at the moment, you know?" Joey nodded vaguely in reply and yawned long and loud, bringing a giggle from his boyfriend's younger brother.

"Right. Thanks for wakin' me, Mokuba. I promised Yugi and Yami I'd meet them at the arcade at 10. I guess I should get a wriggle on, eh?" Mokuba shrugged, his interest in the conversation suddenly entirely gone, and stood up to leave. He was taller now, no longer a little runt, and Joey marvelled at how similar he was to his brother at times. With the fading of the baby face and puppy fat, Mokuba was becoming a fine young man, although thankfully he had not begun to act with the same stern harshness that his brother regularly did. His hair was almost scandalously long for a brother of the CEO of Kaiba Corp., and he had taken on a studiously relaxed posture that was vaguely reminiscent of Joey's own slouching mannerisms. _Oops._

Joey grinned at the retreating teen and stretched properly, letting loose another drawn-out yawn. He was in a superb mood; after all, it was summer vacation, and a Saturday to boot, and he was going to spend the entire day with his best friends. Life was pretty darn good!

 _Except-_ He looked across again at the other side of the bed, his spirits dimming slightly.

He knew that Seto was a busy man, and he admired his boyfriend's drive and passion for his company. With their final year of school coming to a slow but steady close, Kaiba had become busier and busier as he prepared to take over the company on a full-time basis. That, coupled with the launch of some new software, meant that more often than not the brunette spent the night in his office for convenience.

 _I know all of that, but I still miss him. He invites me round, but then leaves me all on my own! What gives!_ Joey thought crankily. He hadn't even seen Seto since he arrived the previous afternoon, even though the CEO had asked him to come and sleep over.

And it wasn't even that. Joey felt sure that Kaiba had been withdrawn recently. Beyond just the increased work and study schedules they had, he had slowly come to realise that the brunette had drawn away from him; they were less intimate, for starters, and Kaiba was calling and texting Joey less and less. It was this behaviour that was alarming the blonde the most; had he done something wrong? Was Kaiba getting sick of him? He visited about three of four nights a week, and would stay at the Kaiba mansion 24/7 if he could, but they were yet to take that step of living together. When he thought about it, it vaguely irritated Joey. _We've been sleeping together for over a year and a half; I spend all my free time round here seein' him, and even Mokuba sees me as part of the family- so why hasn't he asked me to move in yet? 's not like Moneybags doesn't have enough rooms in this joint._

Shaking his head, Joey realised that he would probably never understand what went through Kaiba's mind, and it was probably not worth trying to find out. _I'm probably bein' silly. He's just busy. And if something is up, just ask him. He won't snap my head off._ Shrugging, Joey looked across at the alarm clock on the bedside table and yelped as he realised the time. "Dammit Mokuba! No way it was 9:15 when you woke me! You forgot to add an extra twenty minutes on when you said that!" He hollered, as he scrambled out of bed and began to scoop up his clothes. Sniffing them briefly, he decided that they were fine to wear again, and hopped around on one foot as he yanked up his jeans. Downstairs, he heard Mokuba give a bark of laughter and call something back cheekily, but he couldn't make out the words. "Yeh, yeh, whatever, Moki. I'll get ya later!" he yelled, the sound muffled as he pulled his shirt over his face.

"Who are you getting later?" The smooth voice startled Joey, and as his head popped free of his shirt, his amber eyes unerringly sought out the figure of Seto Kaiba, leaning casually against the door frame, his arms crossed over his chest and a small smile playing about his lips.

He looked great. He had grown his hair out slightly, and it was now shaggy and hung about his face in choppy lengths. He was dressed down for the weekend, in dark grey jeans and a deep blue collared shirt. Seto had had a growth spurt, however that was even possible, and had shot up another half a foot since Joey had started dating him. He had lost weight and looked almost too thin.

Only his eyes remained the same, as clear and arresting as perfectly cut sapphires. Right now they were warm with humour at Joey's frazzled state, but circled by deep rings of exhaustion; he had been working himself almost to breaking point, Joey realised.

Blushing a little at Kaiba's intense staring, Joey scooped up his worn out old green jacket and swallowed down mixed feelings of attraction and anger at his boyfriend. "Ahhh… Mokuba woke me up late, the usual. In fact, I gotta go, Kaibs, I'm officially running late to see Yugi, sorry!" Giving the brunette a slightly awkward flapping wave goodbye, Joey moved to pass through the doorway, stopping as a long lean arm snapped across to bar his way. He glanced at Kaiba, confused.

Kaiba's eyebrows drew together slightly and his eyes took on his more usual grim expression, shuttered and unreadable. CEO Kaiba. "You're going now? But I haven't even seen you yet! Stay."

Joey scowled; when Seto was in CEO mode he still managed to get Joey's hackles up. "Well, whose fault is that? _I've_ been here since yesterday afternoon; you're the one who stayed out all night."

Kaiba blinked. "I was not _out all night_. I was in the office, _working._ You know that. But I'm here now, so can't you stay a bit longer?"

Joey shook his head with irritation. "No, I can't stay a bit longer, because I promised the guys I'd meet them at 10, and I keep my promises. So, I guess I'll see you later, hn?" He stared pointedly at Kaiba's extended arm, until with great reluctance, the brunette withdrew it, allowing him passage to leave. Kaiba's expression was frustrated, angry, confused; Joey desperately wanted to stay and patch things up, but he had a point to make, and, after all, Yugi and Yami _were_ waiting for him. He'd call Kaiba later. It'd be ok. This wasn't his fault.

As he hurried down the hall, Joey glanced back over his shoulder at the desolate image of Kaiba standing by the bedroom, his large blue eyes watching the blonde retreat. Slowing to a halt, Joey turned, and, allowing a little hurt to enter his voice, he called back, "Y'know, Seto, if you'd have asked me to live with you, this wouldn't be an issue, 'cuz we'd see each other every day." He cocked his head slightly, giving the brunette a chance to respond, but the taller teen remained silent. However, briefly but clearly, a flicker of unease crossed his features and he shifted uncomfortably under the blonde's stare.

At that expression, Joey's stomach dropped. _Right. Guess that says all I need to know, huh?_ Shrugging to hide the hurt that he felt, Joey flapped a hand casually over his shoulder in farewell and continued on his way. "I'll see ya round, Kaibs."

Unseen by the blonde, a long slender hand rose, as though it could reach out and pluck at his sleeve. It hovered slightly, before slowly lowering back down beside his leg, the fingers curling up into a fist.

"Joey."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello Friends! Tis I, back with another chapter. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy it. I'm actually quite excited about where I'm going to take this story, so please let me know what you think as we travel along :)**

 **~Jehbel**

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"So, Joey- down to business." Yugi wriggled himself upright, affecting a mock-serious expression. "Your birthday. It's coming up soon. What. Are. We. Doing?" The smaller boy's eyes were sparkling with excitement, his hands clasped together in his lap as peered across the table at his blonde friend. Beside him, Yami chuckled, his own arms crossed against his chest lazily, his deep amethyst eyes watching Yugi with affection.

Joey raised a finger in a 'hold on' gesture as he tipped his cup up further, swallowing the last of his strawberry milkshake. With an appreciative 'ahh' he plonked the cup back onto the tabletop, wiping his mouth as he did so. His amber eyes were amused. "Yug', my birthday's still over a month away! Lemme concentrate on finishing the school year first, hn?"

A grin split Yugi's face. "Pfft! You, worry about finishing the year? Come on, Joey!"

Joey threw his head back and laughed. "Orright, orright, ya got me! But, to be honest I haven't given it much thought- I guess I should check and see if Kaibs wants to do anything." Yami nodded in understanding, his long hand reaching out to snag a single potato fry from the basket in the centre of the table. He ate it delicately, his eyes staring out over Joey's head distractedly. Beside him, Yugi shifted slightly and watched his boyfriend eat the fry, before turning back to Joey with renewed enthusiasm.

"Well, ask him! Do it now! We have to start planning! Your birthday falls during the New Year break, too, so we can do whatever we like!" His face fell with a sudden thought. "Oh, wait, some of the gang might be going away for the break- we'll have to check with them." His brow furrowed slightly in concentration as he muttered to himself, counting off names on his fingers and drawing imaginary plans in the air. Yami shook his head with amusement, his hand coming up to ruffle the smaller teen's eclectic hair. "Aibou, anybody would think that this is _your_ birthday, you are so excited."

Yugi turned to his partner, trying to scowl, but grinning too much to be convincing. "Well, of course! This is Joey's last birthday in high school with all of us! And mine is soooo long away!"

Joey shook his head. "Yug', it's in April. That's only five months away!"

Yugi flung his arms out dramatically, slumping down into his chair and closing his eyes. "That's too far away! I won't make it! Plus, my birthday is right before school starts back up so nobody will feel like celebrating. They're always busy getting ready stressing about what classes they're in." He waved a hand. "Your birthday is New Year's Day, Joey, it's perfect for a big party!"

Yami leaned forward, propping his chin in one palm as he turned to take in Yugi, still sprawled dramatically. "What did you do for his birthday last year?"

Joey cleared his throat, feeling slightly awkward. "Erm, we weren't talking a whole lot, around that time… so er, I just spent it with Kaibs." Yugi flushed red at this, his eyes clouding as he looked down at the table with a shamefaced expression. Yami's own expression shifted through several emotions; realisation, anger, hurt, and sympathy. The group descended into a slightly awkward silence, broken only by the nervous _tap_ of Joey's fingernails against the wooden tabletop. It had not been so long since Yami had returned and James had disappeared suddenly, and the scars of the past year were still raw in all their minds.

Finally, Joey cleared his throat again. "Hey- when is your birthday, Yami? I don't think we've ever celebrated it?" Yami's expression became thoughtful and Yugi's head snapped up as he peered at his Other with a slightly agape mouth.

"Oh my gosh Yami, he's right! When is your birthday? I can't believe we've never celebrated it! We are terrible friends!"

Yami chuckled, wrapping an arm around Yugi's shoulders, the earlier unpleasantness forgotten for the moment. "I suppose I do not really have one. As Atem I was born on the 19th day of the Third Month of Harvesting, which we called Shemu. I once figured that out to be around late July in your calendar. But, as Yami, a mixture of my being Dark Yugi, and also Atem, I do not have a specific birthday. I suppose I could choose July, or your birthday in April, Yugi, as my celebratory day."

Joey and Yugi gaped at this. "Yug', did you know any of that?"

"No! I had no idea! Yami, you should have said! And you can't have my birthday, that's too weird. And it's _my_ day, I want to celebrate with you for your own special day!" The smaller teen suddenly sat bolt upright, his eyes wide. "I've got it! I'm going to _give_ you a birthday! Come on, Yami, we have to go home right now and figure out a good day for you to have a birthday on. It can't be too close to anyone else's and it has to be on a lucky day." He jiggled with excitement. "And then, and then, we can throw you a huge party!"

Yami laughed, a rarity for him, his grin making him appear younger and more like his smaller Other. "Very well, if you'd like. How old should I say I am? Eighteen, or Five Thousand and Eighteen?" Yugi giggled and Joey shook his head at the two of them. They seemed so happy, and he was glad for it. It had been a long time since Yugi had been so carefree and childish, and it suited him more than the dark unhappiness he had exuded when he was with James.

As if from an invisible cue, both Yami and Yugi stood together, each of their hands immediately seeking the other and clasping together. Yugi grinned over at Joey. "Sorry, Joey, we have to go- I have a duty to ensure that Yami here gets a fitting birthdate. But, think about your own, ok? Message Kaiba and ask him if he wanted to do anything, and let me know what he says! If he hasn't already planned something, you can tell him not to worry- I'll take care of it all!" Joey flapped his hand to indicate he'd heard, and watched as Yugi dragged an amused Yami out of the arcade. _Those two,_ he thought to himself, shaking his head.

Joey's thoughts turned then his boyfriend. _Message him, huh. Wonder if he'll reply, though._ Shrugging to himself, he pulled out his phone, flipping it open and scrolling to Seto's name in his list.

 _\Hey, Yugi wants to know if you had anything you wanted to do for my birthday. If not he reckons he will throw a party. Lemme know, k?\_

Snapping his phone shut, Joey stood, grabbing a final handful of fries as he turned to leave the arcade. _Well, guess I'll wait and see now._

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Joey pulled his jacket tighter around him, cursing internally at his choice of clothing. The November weather was definitely turning wintery now, too cold to deny. Joey would have to drag out his measly winter wardrobe when he got home. He shivered to himself imagining how cold the house would be- his father had lost his most recent job and so it was doubtful that he would have paid the heating bill. Joey scowled and looked down, his mind mulling over the miserable state of affairs at home. _He's gonna be drunk too. He always is around this time of year, when Mum left._ He began to plan in his head how he would avoid spending too much time at home- obviously, he'd stay with Kaiba whenever he could, and Yugi was usually pretty good at remembering this tricky time of year and would make an effort to have Joey stay with him more often. Although, now that he and Yami were officially together now, they were more distracted these days in their happiness and discovery of one another- and Joey could hardly blame them. _Kaibs and I used to be like that, too._

The sudden vibration of his phone in his pocket made Joey jump a little, and he awkwardly fished the device out, trying to expose his hands to as little of the nippy air as possible. He checked the caller ID- it was Mokuba.

"Mok', what's up, my man?"

"Joey! Hey. Listen I was just wondering if you're coming by tonight? Andrea wants to know." Andrea was the Kaiba's in-house chef, a lovely matronly woman who was delighted by Joey's apparent unending appetite. She had taken up a personal challenge to see if she could find a food type that Joey _didn't_ like.

"Er- I dunno, I haven't heard from yer brother today, and I don't wanna just assume I'm staying over." Joey scowled- he hated these sorts of conversations. It made him feel like a homeless beggar.

"Oh! No, come on over, Seto won't mind! I was talking to him just before and he promised he'd be home tonight. Come on, Andrea neeeeeeds you to eat all the leftovers and make more space in the fridge!" In the background, Joey could hear the laughing objections of the cook and he chuckled in response.

"Ah, Moki, you know I can never refuse you! Fine. I'll be over soon. Need me ter pick anything up on my way?"

"Nah, Castle Kaiba has all you need. I'll see you later!"

"Later, Mokuba." Joey flipped his phone shut, still grinning. Mokuba could be hilarious at times, and was certainly more light-hearted than his burdened older brother.

Thinking of Seto, the grin slowly melted off Joey's face. _So he was talking to Mokuba earlier? Well he's obviously not too busy to call home, so I wish he'd answer my damned text!_ He frowned down at the phone in his hand, lost in thought as he made his way back.

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"Joey!" Mokuba glomped into Joey in an enthusiastic tackle, almost knocking the wind out the blonde teen.

"Oof! Jeez, Moki, you only saw me this morning, gerroff me! Yeesh, and Kaibs reckons _I_ act like a puppy dog- you're worse!"

Mokuba laughed, the sound reverberating through Joey's chest. "I've been so _bored_ today! I had ulterior motives telling you to come by. Ninentedo?" Joey shook him off and shrugged his bag off, dumping it unceremoniously onto the floor as he led the youngest Kaiba into the kitchen. "Sure, lemme just make a sandwich. I'll just play til yer brother gets home, okay?" Joey cried out in appreciation at the sight of a large platter of cut sandwiches piled high on the counter top, immediately grabbing several to hide in his pockets for later. Nearby, Andrea watched on with a smugly pleased expression on her face.

Mokuba leaned against the doorframe, watching with impressed incredulousness as Joey filled his pockets and mouth with small triangle sandwich pieces. "Didn't you just eat at the Arcade? Also, Big Brother is already home; he arrived about five minutes before you did."

Joey turned around in surprise. "Is he? Where is he?"

"Upstairs. He said he had to shower and do some more work." Looking bored, Mokuba flicked at an invisible speck on his shoulder and wandered out toward the games room. "I'll be in here whenever you're ready. Oh, take Seto a sandwich, maybe- he probably hasn't eaten yet today." Joey nodded, even though Mokuba couldn't see it, and loaded a few triangles onto a small plate. "Yeah, I'll do that. Good idea, Little Kaiba."

"I'm full of them, Big Wheeler."

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Kaiba's office door was slightly ajar, a signal that it was alright to approach. If Seto had sensitive or secret business to do, the door would remain firmly shut. Joey had learned that hard way.

Pushing the heavy wooden door open a little, Joey peered in at Kaiba, who was glaring at his computer screen, his posture perfectly upright and rigid even as he was absorbed in his reading. His face was lit by the white glow of the laptop, making his features seem harsher and more angular than usual. Joey cleared his throat loudly and made a show of opening the door so as to not surprise the young CEO; when he was this absorbed he often lashed out in fright if interrupted suddenly.

"Kaibs, I got some sandwiches here for ya- have you eaten yet?"

Kaiba jumped, his hand immediately reaching out and snapping his laptop lid shut on reflex. _Jeez it's not like I was going to snoop into his business or anything, talk about paranoid!_ Joey thought, as the tall brunette stood up. Now that the computer was no longer illuminating the area, Joey realised how dim the office was. With the windows behind him letting a small amount of afternoon light filter through, Kaiba was almost silhouetted in the darkness, his features difficult to read. His piercing blue eyes were all that Joey could see with clarity, fixed on the blonde's face.

"Joey."

The single word made the blonde pause, and the two stood staring at each other in the dark room; tall dark kaiba in the shadows and blonde Joey, illuminated by the lights outside the office door, his amber eyes large. Opposites, the two of them, but the same.

Suddenly, at the same time, they both moved, striding toward each other, eyes locked with unmatched intensity. Joey let the plate of sandwich triangles fall from his grip to clatter dully on the carpeted floor, and he brought both hands up to wrap around Kaiba's shoulders as the brunette likewise engulfed him. The two stood, rocking slightly as they hugged each other tightly, kissing each other deep and fervently. Joey's eyes were closed, his mind full of nothing but the feel and scents of Kaiba. He felt whole again; he hadn't realised just how much he'd missed the taller teen lately until now.

Finally, they pulled apart, Kaiba's long cool hands cupping Joey's face as they stared at each other silently. They were both breathing a little heavier, their hearts beating a frantic rhythm together.

"Joey. I am sorry about this morning. I was unfair." Kaiba murmured this, touching his forehead to Joey's. "I know I've been absent a lot lately. I feel terrible for neglecting you."

Joey laughed breathlessly, patting Kaiba's arms awkwardly. "Aww, it's alright Kaibs, I know yer busy. I'm a big boy, I can take care of meself." Kaiba smiled humourlessly and stepped back a bit to give Joey space to breathe. In the light cast from the hallway, Joey could see the shadows under his eyes and the lines around his mouth. "In fact, can _you_ look after yourself? You look terrible, man." Joey reached up and gently touched Kaiba's cheek, causing the taller teen to flinch slightly in surprise. "Is… is everything alright, Seto?" Joey let his worry from recent weeks show on his face as he watched Kaiba's eyes cloud slightly. The brunette took a measured step back, affixing a genuine if somewhat strained smile to his face.

"I'm fine, Joey. Just tired. I have a lot coming up that I need to prepare for and I cannot trust any of the boffins at work to do it properly. I know, I know- I've been bad lately. I need to sleep, and eat. I'll be finished for today, soon- I'll come down and join you once I'm done here, alright?"

Joey looked into the deep sapphire eyes he loved so dearly and swallowed down his first response- to nag Kaiba to finish, _now_ , and screw work for one night! But, he knew that it would only lead to an argument, to come between Kaiba and his business, so instead he nodded, smiling back with just as much strain as Seto's grin. "Sure, Kaibs. I'll see you downstairs soon." As he pulled the door open to leave, the blonde glanced back at the tall man behind him; Seto had a hand over his eyes, rubbing wearily. "Kaibs- you _sure_ there's nothin' I can do to help?" Joey asked quietly.

Kaiba looked up, his eyes dulled by fatigue but softened as he looked at his boyfriend. He gave a small smile which did not reach his eyes, and his expression for a terrible moment melted into a mask of exhaustion and sad loneliness. His gaze flickered away to settle on the large ornate portrait of Gozaburo Kaiba, which dominated one of the office walls. His mouth hardened into a thin line and he turned back to face Joey.

"Just stay by my side, Wheeler, and I'll get through anything."

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 **.**

 **Note: The birthdates mentioned in this chapter all come from the Official Yu-Gi-Oh information.**

 **Yugi has a birthday of April 6th.**  
 **Yami has a translated birthday of July 26th.**  
 **Joey has a birthday of January 1st.**

 **The dates for their schooling semesters are taken from the Japanese schooling system, where term starts in April and runs through until July, restarting in September and finishing around December 25th.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi Guys, sorry for the delay in posting, I've been sooo busy! I may have become slightly addicted to Mystic Messenger and locked myself away for an entire weekend... *blush*. {T_T}**

 **AAAnyway moving right along, I hope you enjoy this next chapter. More to come. Please comment/review and as always, thank you all for reading and following. I, of course, do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.**

 **~Jehbel**

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Joey grinned with delight, his amber eyes greedily taking in the enormous burger sitting in front of him. It was easily as big as his head, and full of all his favourite things- bacon, cheese, beef, tomato, pickles, pineapple… in fact, as long as it could be put on a burger, Joey liked it, as a general rule. To his delight, there was even a basket of freshly fried potato wedges accompanying the burger; Andrea had really gone all-out tonight. The smell was divine.

Joey leaned forward, his mouth already watering with excited anticipation of the meal to come. His hands twitched as though longing to snap out and grab the gigantic burger, but he refrained. Looking around, he felt awkward to be sitting at the enormous Kaiba dining room table alone; the table was set for one, the crisp white tablecloth seeming to mock him with its emptiness. Where was everybody? While Seto frequently skipped meals and spent dinnertime at the office, Mokuba was generally a solid fixture in the household. Even Andrea wasn't hovering nearby to watch him eat with her usual fascination.

Joey scratched his head, his eyes wandering back to look at the meal in front of him. _I guess… they wouldn't want my food to go cold, would they? So no need for me to wait, right?_ With a small nod of satisfaction at this justification, Joey grinned again and reached out to pick up the enormous burger.

"No…"

His hands snapped back to his side immediately, and the blonde jumped in guilty surprise at the voice, coming from just behind him. Spinning about in his chair, Joey looked behind him, but the dining room was dark and empty; there was nobody else in there with him.

"Nyeh? Who's there? That you, Moki?" Joey called out, although he was suddenly quite sure that he was alone in the room. _So who the hell spoke just then?_ His brow furrowed slightly, and Joey began to feel a bit spooked. Getting up, the blonde strode to the dining room door and opened it to look outside.

"No! No… Don't …. _Please_ …" The voice echoed again, urgent and full of pained longing. Joey jumped; it had come from right behind him, but was somehow muffled. Spinning about, heart thumping, the teen took in the empty room behind him. He opened his mouth to reply, but quickly snapped it shut again. What would he say? Was he talking to a ghost or something? The silence settled again, and the room seemed to darken slightly. Joey's heart thumped.

Suddenly-

"No! Please, _stop it!_ You're _hurting_ me! It hurts! It _hurts! HURRRTSSS!"_ Joey cried out in alarm as the voice shrieked nearby, cutting through the still empty room like a shard of glass. He clapped his hands to his ears, trying to block the noise of the sobbing and pleading, but it continued, high and shrill, in his ears and through his head. He grit his teeth together and crouched by the door, closing his eyes tightly as the voice keened and writhed in pain, the words driving into his skull like angry axe swings, pounding and hammering and never stopping. In his mind, Joey's own thoughts reacted almost as though on instinct. _It hurts! IT HURTS! IT'S HURTING HIM STOP IT-_

"No! No! Not him too! _Please_! Just me just me please just not him! Not Him! _Not Him Not Him Not-"_

"MOKUBA!"

Joey sprang upright with an almighty gasp, his eyes wide and unseeing, his skin drenched in sweat as though he had been running. Wildly, he looked about, uncomprehending where he was. It was dark; beside him, the digital clock flashed **12:00** over and over, and Joey dimly thought that the power must have cut out at some stage and reset the timer. His hand drifted to his chest, where he placed it over his racing heart. The adrenaline was thundering through his veins, and he could feel his throat aching from his ragged breathing. Just as the blonde began to make some sense of his surroundings, however, the cries suddenly began again, from right beside him; this time, though, they were clearer- they were louder too, and he could immediately recognise the owner of the voice. After all, it was the one he loved above all others.

"No-no-no-no- _no-_ pleaseStop-" Kaiba was whimpering and muttering softly, his body quaking all over as he jerked and pummeled at the bed. The blankets were drawn up high, and only his thick brunette hair could be seen poking out from under the covers. With a mental _click,_ Joey realised they were in bed; they had been sleeping. He had been dreaming. Kaiba was having a night terror.

With this realisation, Joey kicked into action. He had seen Kaiba in the grip of his terrors before, although they didn't occur often. But once was more than enough to leave an impression- they were horrible to witness and even more draining on Kaiba himself.

"Kaibs! Oi, wakeup, it's okay! You're safe. Wake up!" Joey reached out gingerly to grip Kaiba's shoulder. The brunette was facing away from Joey, shoulders hunched defensively as he was tormented by the unknown nightmares. At Joey's touch, his body jerked and stiffened, but he did not wake. "C'mon, Moneybags, wake up!" Joey shook his boyfriend slightly, his concern increasing as the older teen continued to shake and sob. "Kaiba! Wake up, man!" He said it louder this time, with conviction. _I need to wake him up. He can't get out of them on his own._ Kaiba began to sob harder and he scratched at the wall with a hand, unaware of his own actions. Joey began to feel the stirrings of real panic as Kaiba bit his own lip, drawing blood, the anguished words not once slowing in their steady flow as he mumbled and cried.

Suddenly, with a bang, the bedroom door was flung open. Joey spun around, his brain wildly wondering what other surprises he was going to have that night; he felt slightly deranged.

Mokuba hurried to the bed, his grey eyes flicking briefly to meet Joey's with serious and silent understanding. Climbing over Joey, the younger Kaiba reached for his brother, pulling him tight and burying his face into Seto's hair. Joey could only watch with silence. Mokuba was curled up awkwardly across the bed, his legs in Joey's lap and his torso wrapped firmly around his older brother's as he murmured and crooned with quiet urgency.

"Big Brother, you're okay. I'm okay. We are both okay. It's over, Seto. Please wake up, me and Joey are here, you're not being hurt anymore…" The raven-haired youth kept up a string of comforting words, rocking gently, his arms around Kaiba, eyes closed as he concentrated only on his brother. In his arms, Kaiba groaned.

"Yeah, that's right, Big Brother, you're okay. You did good. Wake up, Joey's here, Seto. I'm here. It's Mokuba. We're fine." Kaiba began to drag in deep shuddering breaths, and Joey leaned forward slightly, his eyes never leaving the brunette's face. "Kaibs? It's me, Joey. Wake up, man."

Finally, Kaiba became still. The sudden silence in the room was suffocating. Mokuba released his iron grip on his brother slightly, shifting his position and glancing back over his shoulder at Joey, who sat ashen-faced beside him.

"Kuba…?" Kaiba's weak voice floated out from under the blanket, and his younger brother huffed a breath of relief.

"Yeah, Seto, it's me. You okay, Big Bro?"

"…Joey? S'here?" His voice was slurred, and Joey knew from previous experience that a horrible migraine would accompany his waking from the nightmare. The blonde's heart thudded painfully as Kaiba weakly turned over, his deep blue eyes lidded and fuzzy with pain and fatigue. The brunette peered about like a newborn kitten, his face wet with tears. Mokuba moved back and sat up cross-legged, almost sitting in Joey's lap like a little dog, as the two looked down at their loved one with concern. Kaiba was blinking, coming back to himself, struggling weakly with the blankets as he tried to sit up and reach for his sibling. "Mokuba… you're… okay?" Mokuba nodded, making a humming noise of confirmation, Kaiba's hand cupping one of his cheeks with gentle care. A moment later the hand weakened and withdrew, Kaiba clearing his throat and frowning slightly as he realised the extent of his own physical feebleness. His blue eyes met Joey's before he looked down with shame. "Stop staring at me with pity, Wheeler."

Joey knew better than to bridle at Kaiba's words; once, he would have given the brunette a thump for that comment, but he knew it was Seto's way of regain some semblance of control and pride.

"Yeah, sure thing Moneybags. I gotta take a leak now anyway." Prodding Mokuba, Joey jerked his head at the direction of the bedroom door, and, understanding, the youngest Kaiba nodded and climbed off the bed, followed by the blonde teen. The two glanced back at Kaiba, who was rubbing his face with his hands, before turning and leaving the room together.

Out in the hall, Kaiba put his hands on his hips, letting out a deep gusty sigh. Mokuba moved away to lean against the wall opposite Joey, his dark eyes unreadable. "Well, that sure was interesting."

Mobuka nodded, grave. "Hn. He hasn't had a bad one like that for a while."

Joey reached out, clapping a hand on Mokuba's shoulder. Smiling warmly at the younger teen, Joey said softly, "You really helped out in there, Moki. I appreciate it, man. I was really scared for a second there."

Mokuba looked down, his cheeks faintly pink, a smile coming to his face unbidden. "Aww, it was nothing, Joey. I just know what he's like when he has a bad one. I could hear him crying out from my room- But I only got up once I heard your voice." At this, he glanced up at Joey, his expression cheeky. "I don't know how you managed to sleep through it for as long as you did- having a nice dream, were we?"

Joey grinned, the memory of the burger coming back to him. "Ah, well, yeah actually. It was a _great_ dream!"

Mokuba shook his head with amusement. "I don't wanna know, but I'm going to assume it was about food. Right, well, I might go back to sleep. Or try to, anyway, before I have to get up to go to school." His expression clouded a bit, and with more seriousness, the younger Kaiba glanced up to meet Joey's amber gaze. "You… should probably go back in to him. Comfort him and stuff…" He blushed slightly before shrugging out of Joey's grip and padding away down the hall, waving a hand goodbye as he did so. Joey watched him go, before sighing and turning back to the bedroom. He had a long night ahead of him.

* * *

.

.Hours had passed. Kaiba had been sick twice, and had spent over an hour in the shower sitting under the hot water. His migraine was finally subsiding, but it had left him exhausted and irritable. Joey did his best to be comforting and helpful, but he was beginning to feel tired and cranky himself. Kaiba was a terrible patient, grumbling and arguing and fighting him every step of the way; he insisted on moving about on his own, even though he had stumbled twice and even fallen to a knee, and he swatted Joey's hands away whenever the blonde offered them for support. Joey kept chanting in his head that it wasn't Kaiba's fault, and that he was merely trying not to lose all his dignity by acting this way, but the blonde was becoming increasingly annoyed. The idea of smothering Kaiba with his own pillow had flitted through Joey's mind several times that night.

.

.

They were lying now in bed, Joey propped upright on his many pillows, Kaiba snuggled against his side, finally pain-free, and merely drained. Joey rubbed his eyes and glanced out the window; it would be morning soon. _I think we might have to make this one a 'home day'. No way I'm going to school, and Kaibs shouldn't either,_ he thought. Beside him, the brunette huffed a little, already well on his way toward full sleep. Joey stroked his hair absentmindedly, his mood much improved now that Seto was calm and quiet.

"Joey…" Kaiba's muffled voice floated up, and the blonde peered down at the other teen's prone form.

"Yeh Kaibs I'm still here, what's up?"

"…s place."

"What did you say?"

Kaiba wriggled with irritation. "I … I said I hate this place."

"I know." Joey wasn't really sure what he was talking about, but he didn't want to engage the brunette in a conversation at this time of night. _Or morning, I should say._ He stroked Seto's hair again, gently running his fingernails over his scalp as he knew Kaiba liked. The taller boy hummed slightly and sighed. Joey closed his eyes, his mind peaceful if weary. He felt mildly happy that he had been there for Kaiba on this horrible night.

"I hate… that you're here."

The muttered comment dragged Joey back to reality, and his stomach lurched sickeningly. He stared down at Kaiba's hair, his mouth suddenly dry, heart thumping painfully. "What… what do you mean, Kaibs?"

There was a long silence. Kaiba's breathing was deep and regular; he was asleep. Joey wanted to shake him to pieces and demand an explanation. Kaiba hated Joey being here? Where was _here?_ Did he mean this bed, this room? Did he mean the house? Was Kaiba mad that Joey had witnessed him in a moment of weakness? Surely not- Joey had seem him have these nightmares before and he had never seemed to care. What then was different? What did Kaiba mean by it?

The blonde sat in the dimly lit room, which was becoming brighter with pre-dawn light by the minute, his posture upright and eyes wide, no longer sleepy. Kaiba whuffled in his sleep and wrapped an arm around Joey's waist, pulling him in and burrowing closer; his face was peaceful, if a bit haggard. Joey looked around, silently. His heart beat erratically and his hands shook slightly as he ran his fingers through the thick brown hair mechanically.

The scene was peaceful, but inside was a turmoil.

 _What does he mean?_


	4. Chapter 4

**GUYS I'M BACK!**

 **That's right! I'm back! I'm so sorry about the ENORMOUS delay in posting. I have been writing my own fiction novel which is enormous and consumes my life, but I hope to keep chipping away at this and finishing it. Thank you so much for your patience and support!**

 **I hope you like this new chapter, and I really will try not to make you wait months and months for the next one :)**

 **ILY**

 **~Jehbs**

* * *

.

.

Joey sighed, running a hand through his thick mop of hair absentmindedly. It dimly occurred to him that he needed a haircut, but it couldn't possibly be any lower on his list of priorities at that point. As far as the blonde was concerned, it was one of the most irresponsible uses of money out there. Why bother cutting your hair when you could buy the essentials, like another month of electricity, or cheeseburgers?

He had decided to go home. Sleep was not coming today, not after the nightmarish evening he'd spent at the Kaiba mansion. Seto's last words kept drifting about in his head, like mocking little butterflies. " _I hate that you're here._ " What had the brunette meant by that? Kaiba was known for speaking truthfully when he was part-asleep; Joey and Mokuba had had enormous fun in the past, asking the normally taciturn Seto embarrassing questions and getting the combination to his personal safe. They had hidden a wheel of disgusting Stilton cheese in there, where it would wait, slowly festering, until the CEO next opened the safe. At the memory of he and Mokuba running from the room, hands covering their mouths to stifle their giggles, Joey gave a reluctant grin. _I really do have a lot of fun with those two._

The grin faded as again those sad words floated back to him: _I hate that you're here._ Closing his eyes as though to push the words away, Joey sighed for the umpteenth time. _Although lately, it's been less 'fun' and more 'angry-all-the-time'._

The sudden jingle of his mobile phone made Joey jump a little, although he had been expecting the call sooner or later. He had snuck out of the house before Seto woke up, but the CEO was a notoriously early riser and Joey knew that he didn't have much of a head start on the moody brunette. He didn't feel like speaking to Kaiba just now; he just wanted to get home, hide in his room, and hopefully catch up on some sleep. It was probably the first time he'd ever _wanted_ to go home; he just hoped his old man was either out, or in a good mood, and didn't start crap with him. _I am so not in the mood today,_ the blonde scowled to himself, as he flipped his phone open and placed it against his ear. "What is it?" He asked, not quite hostilely, but certainly not with any warmth.

"Joey! We did it! We found him a birthdate!" Yugi's excitable voice blasted down the phone, making Joey wince and pull the phone back from his ear to glance at the caller ID. He had been expecting Kaiba, not little Yugi. For a moment Joey blanked on what his smaller friend was talking about, before the previous day's conversation flooded back to him.

"Er… that's great, Yug'! Waddya end up deciding on?" Joey pushed enthusiasm into his response with some effort; he didn't want to bring down Yugi's mood just because he was out of sorts.

"We settled on May 15th- it's a super lucky day, and it's nowhere near anybody else's, so it's perfect, he won't have to share the attention!" Joey grinned as Yugi cheered with childlike enthusiasm down the phone; he could almost see Yami standing with quiet amusement behind his little Other.

"Awesome Yug', May sounds just right. Will you be able to wait that long, though?"

Yugi groaned in response, and Joey thought he faintly heard Yami chuckle in the background. " _No!_ I wanted to make his birthday next month or something, but I had to be reasonable. But May is _so long away,_ argh!"

"Yugi, I do not mind. I'm just happy you've given me a special day to celebrate with you all." Yami's voice was calm, but the laughter in it was unmistakable. "It is enough that I can celebrate these things with you."

"Shush-shush-shhhhushush!" Yugi cried. "It is _not_ enough, _everyone_ celebrates their birthday-"

"Except Jehova's Witnesses," Joey interjected.

"- except Jehova's Witnesses, so you've been missing out this entire time!" Yugi took Joey's comment in his stride, and the blonde laughed silently to himself. Suddenly, the smaller teen gasped on the other side of the phone, and Joey almost gasped with him, unprepared for it as he was. "I've _got it!_ I'll make up for eighteen years' worth of non-birthday gifts! I'm going to go out and find you eighteen different presents, to bring you up to scratch!" Yugi's voice was high with excitement, and Joey groaned humorously in response.

"Come off it Yug', _eighteen years'_ worth of presents? Gonna get a fat cash advance from Gramps, are ya?" Joey was laughing in earnest now, his heart lighter as he bantered with his best friend. "You'll be working til yer fifty to pay that one off!"

Yugi huffed in response, and Yami snickered deeply in the background. "Well, they don't have to be _expensive_ presents…"

"I shall eagerly await eighteen pieces of rubbish from you then, Aibou," Yami deadpanned, and Joey burst into laughter, stopping his quick pace to clutch as his stomach with mirth. The older teen didn't say much, but when he did, it was worth it!

Over the top of Yugi's complaints, Joey cleared his throat. "Listen, I gotta go, Yug'. I won't be at school today, orright? So I'll see you later."

"Oh? Is everything alright, Joey?" Yugi's humour faded slightly.

"Yeah, yeah, nothin' to worry about! I just gotta do some work for old Mr. Morinaga, make some extra cash, yannow?" The blonde closed his eyes to the lie, wincing that even though it wasn't true, it made him sound pathetic and poor. "'Sides, it's only Sunday school, so nothing major. They won't care if I skip out."

"Well, alright… but make sure you come tomorrow! If nothing else, we need to plan your birthday bash! Hey- did Kaiba ever reply to your message yesterday?"

At the mention of his boyfriend's name, Joey's gut twisted and kicked with something akin to dread. _Ah, I guess I'll have to deal with all that at some stage. Not today, though._

"Nah, not yet Yug', and he didn't mention it over the weekend. He's been a bit sick, so I didn't want to annoy him with birthday stuff."

" _Stuff?_ This is your _birthday,_ Joey! It should be his number one priority-hey!"

"That is fine, Joey." Yami's voice suddenly floated through the phone, louder than before, and Joey realised he had snatched it off Yugi. "We understand. The planning can wait; we will see you tomorrow."

"Yeh, later Yami! Later Yug'!" Joey chuckled faintly as he hung up, Yugi's protests still echoing tinnily from the phone. Tucking the small object back into his pocket, Joey looked up at the sky, breathing out slowly. All the good cheer from his friend's call was draining out of his body, leaving only the slightly nauseous sensation of anticipation churning in his gut. Rubbing it absentmindedly, Joey continued on his way, vaguely aware that he was disappointed that Kaiba hadn't called him yet. _Maybe he's embarrassed; I know I would be if I'd spent all night puking in the shower in front of him,_ he mused, his hands plunged deeply into his jacket pockets.

* * *

His father wasn't home; Joey tugged the thick wad of junk mail out from under the front door, tucking it unceremoniously under one arm as he fumbled with the lock. He booted the door open, lurching into the darkened room, eyes darting about instinctively for any sign of his old man. When it was obvious that he wasn't in, Joey relaxed perceptibly, dumping his overnight bag on the floor and wandering aimlessly into the kitchen. He knew that there wouldn't be any food in there, but he still gave a half-hearted search, flipping distractedly through the junk mail as he did so, sorting the boring from the slightly-less-boring. He put aside the grocery discounts- they would be useful later- and briefly glanced at a couple of Kaiba Corp. pamphlets for new development in the area. Kaiba Corp. owned a tonne of buildings in the area, and was always spruiking new plans for development, although nothing ever seemed to come of it.

Gazing at the 'KC' symbol atop the pamphlets, Joey felt the familiar sinking sensation, and a fresh wave of fatigue washed over him. Scrunching the pamphlets up into a messy ball, he lobbed it over his shoulder without looking, and continued into his bedroom, kicking off his sneakers as he went.

Joey's room was a disaster site, strewn with clothes, discarded papers, and old food wrappers. He barely noticed the filth, instead shivering lightly at how cold it was in his room. The weather was steadily turning, and soon he would need to do something to keep the house inhabitable. He gazed around glumly at the peeling wallpaper and stained ceiling, and hated it all. _Kaibs was moaning about having to live in his big old cold house, but I bet he wouldn't last half an hour in here,_ he thought sourly. It was always hard for him to go home after visiting Seto, but today seemed even worse than usual.

Flomping back on his bed, Joey flung an arm up over his eyes, blocking out the thin blueish afternoon light. His other hand absently fingered the small phone in his pocket, as though he might make Kaiba call him simply by thinking about it strongly enough. He huffed, and was sure that his breath may have misted in the chilly bedroom.

Despite the cold, and his own discomfort, Joey could feel his weariness beating him down, and he closed his eyes. The room almost seemed to spin, as though he were intoxicated, and Joey thought ruefully that it would almost be better if he were; at least he'd feel warm!

His thoughts drifted, and Joey allowed them to wander about. His sour mood was fading slightly as he calmed down, but occasionally his stomach would still lurch with some kind of echo of anxiety from the night before. He began to regret running from the mansion so early; perhaps he should have stayed to confront Kaiba, or seen if his taller boyfriend wanted to talk about it. At the very least, he would have been able to sleep a little longer in the warm comfy bed he shared with the young CEO!

Simultaneously, two things happened: Joey's phone suddenly chimed shrilly with a message notification, and the front door of his apartment crashed open loudly.

The blonde sat up in a flail of limbs, the cuss words held in check only by his instinctive desire to not draw his father's attention to himself. Scrambling into a standing position, the teen stood, trembling slightly, as he listened to the awkward shuffling and thumping of his old man in the room next door. His eyes were focused as he listened intently: was the older man drunk?

As if in response, Joey's father shouted something unintelligible, but it was not questioning, nor did he hear his own name said, and so Joey stayed put. If his old man didn't know he was home, there was no need to make him aware of the fact.

His father continued to shout and grumble to himself, and one point dropping something heavy, which gave a great trembling _thud_ against the dirty carpeted floor. Eventually however his grunts and calls slowed, and faded in volume, until only the dimly tinny sounds of the TV could be heard echoing from the lounge room. Only then did Joey's tense stance relax, his hands unclenching from the fists he hadn't realised he'd balled them into. He breathed out through his mouth silently, releasing the last of his anxiety. _Okay. He's asleep. It's okay now. He'll assume I'm at school._ His mouth twisted as Joey realised he was essentially being held captive in his room now, but it wasn't so bad; he had wriggled out of his small window before, and could do so again if he needed to leave the house for food. If his father was indeed drunk, he may even be able to sneak past him while he was napping in his favourite sofa.

Satisfied, Joey sat slowly back down onto his bed, screwing his face up slightly as the worn old frame creaked beneath him. "Shut up…" he muttered to himself, rubbing a palm over his eyes.

With a sudden small jolt, he realised he had a message. Joey fished the phone from his pocket with one hand, tucking the other under his opposite armpit to keep the fingers warm. He flipped the old battered phone open, revealing finally the message from Kaiba he had been waiting for all morning.

 _\I am sorry about last night. Where are you?\_

Joey's expression softened slightly as he read the message, although he was unaware of the reaction. He could almost hear Kaiba's firm but gentle voice in his mind, and imagined the brunette's expression, angry at himself for his moment of weakness, and frustrated that Joey wasn't there when he awoke.

Joey wasn't about to let Kaiba off the hook, though.

 _\I went home. Ddnt get much sleep last nite cuz of *somebody*. ill talk 2 u later.\_

Joey snapped the phone shut with some satisfaction, and peered around the room blearily. Now that he was fully alert again, he considered sneaking out to find some food; he could always nap in the park if he wanted to, which would be warmer probably than his bedroom!

Another beep dragged him from his reverie, and with a hasty glance at his bedroom door, Joey opened his phone again.

 _\I did apologise for that. You could have slept here. Why are you angry?\_

Joey chewed on his bottom lip, pondering the question. Was he? Not really; he was more anxious and upset than angry. He didn't know what to make of Kaiba's words. _I hate that you're here_. What was that supposed to mean? For a moment he swayed on the spot, tempted to just let it all out and ask Seto, to ease his anxious mind. He huffed, annoyed at himself for how difficult this was. Finally, he decided to let it go, and talk to Kaiba another time about his cryptic comments. Sighing with defeat, Joey tapped out a short message.

 _\Im not rly mad. Just tired. Tlk to u later k?\_

Joey stood, tossing his phone carelessly onto his bed, stretching out his sore arms. His stomach grumbled slightly, reminding him that it was well past his breakfast time, and the blonde looked up at his small window with little enthusiasm, then back at his closed bedroom door. He padded over, placing his ear against the door, straining to hear anything beyond. He opened the door a crack, peeking around to the lounge room beyond.

The TV was still running, the images too small for Joey to make out, the light flickering white and blue against the dim walls of the apartment. His father was sitting in his favourite chair, his back to Joey's room, only the top of his thinning hair visible over the back of the squashy and worn-out sofa. He wasn't moving, and Joey hoped that he was deeply asleep already; he was probably in some kind of drunken stupor.

Joey ducked back into his room decisively. He would sneak out through the main door. It had been a while since he had slipped through his window, and he rather felt like he'd had a growth spurt recently; he didn't want to risk getting stuck. The blonde scooped his phone off the bed, slipping it into his jacket pocket, before kneeling by the old thin mattress on the floor. He slipped a hand in under the foam padding, stretching forward as far as he could reach; his tongue stuck out of the corner of his mouth comically as he reached, his cheek squashed up against the edge of the bed. Finally, his fingers brushed something smooth and soft; and old leather wallet.

It wasn't the most original of hiding places, but so far his father hadn't found Joey's secret stash. The older man was shorter and squatter than Joey, and so couldn't reach quite as far. Joey hooked the leather wallet with his long fingers, drawing it carefully out; the material was quite thin and tearing in places. The teen jiggled the pouch gently in one palm, listening to the clink of coin, before stuffing it into his pocket along with his phone. There wasn't much left these days, but it would buy him a coffee, at least.

With a final glance about his room, as though it might magically provide him with more money, or clean clothes, Joey slipped through the ajar door, walking with swift and silent steps toward the front door.

He could see his father was still sitting in front of the TV; with a silent breath of relief, Joey looked back at the closed door, which represented freedom. He could almost taste the fresh air outside, not tainted with the stench of mildew and neglect; the sun would be warming up the city, and he could clear this thoughts. He silently berated himself for going home at all: didn't he always hate it when he was here? The sad reality, though, was that other than Kaiba's mansion, Joey didn't have anywhere else to go. His pace increased as Joey neared the front door, his hand reaching forward for the handle.

Suddenly, his mobile began to ring, in a frantic and shrill tone.

Joey gasped, his hands flying to his pocket in an attempt to shut up the stupid little device. He fumbled, yanking the wallet out first, dropping it unceremoniously on the floor as he hunted for his phone. The ring tone continued, squealing for attention, the noise cutting through the silence of the apartment like a hot knife through butter. Joey's heart thundered in his throat, and his mouth twisted into a grimace as he finally yanked the phone free, pressing the volume button to cut out the shrill ringing. His ears continued to ring in the sudden silence, and he barely had time to glance at the caller ID- it was Kaiba- before he looked up with dread-filled eyes to where his father sat.

The older man was twisted in his chair, glaring at Joey with clear, if red-rimmed eyes, and his expression was thunderous- and most definitely awake. He silently pulled himself to his feet, swaying only slightly as he took in the image of his wide-eyed son standing before him.

"Son," he grumbled, and Joey gulped at the tone. He saw his father's eyes flick down unerringly to the floor, where his secret money pouch now lay open, several larger coins spilling out onto the floor from when it had been dropped. Joey followed his gaze, his stomach sinking as he realised his father had seen the money. Then, his eyes flicked back up, meeting the hateful glare of his father. Joey instinctively took a step back, which was immediately mirrored by the prowling step his father took toward him.

"Dad-" Joey began, but the older man wasn't listening.

"I think we need to have a talk, _son._ "

It really was not Joey's day.


End file.
